Carol of the Ghostbusters
by RetroWriter2012
Summary: In this special holiday mini-story that takes place between "Junior Ghostbusters" and "Ghosts of War" in the Disney/Ghostbusters universe, Dr. Kimberly Venkman gets help in rediscovering the Christmas spirit from characters out of The Nightmare Before Christmas. Look for references to other Disney adaptations of "A Christmas Carol." Reviews are welcomed!
1. Part One

**Part One**

**Jack Skellington:** HEHEHEHEHE! Happy Halloween, everyone! Or should I say…Merry Christmas! Yes, indeed, Merry Christmas. For the tale that I shall share with you this merry holiday season is quite a _haunting_ one, if you know what I mean. *pause* "You don't," you say? Well, certainly by now, you've heard of the almighty mortal heroes known as the Ghostbusters. They've saved the world four times in a row from the likes of Gozer the Gozerian, Vigo the Carpathian, and the Enforcers of the Seventh Circle. However, on the Eve of Christmas, they will face a very _spirited_ force of the supernatural.

On the night of Christmas Eve, the activity within the Ghostbusters' firehouse headquarters was filled with zest from the small group of members there. J.G. Stantz, Diana Zeddemore, and Meagan Tully were caroling altogether, while decorating the interior of the firehouse with lights around everywhere – including the fire pole, a Christmas tree by the window in the upstairs bedroom, and a Christmas reef hung outside on the door. The only two who weren't doing much caroling were Sean Spengler and Kimberly Venkman – one was too busy checking the amount of electricity used within the lighting decorations, while the other appeared to be in a very poor mood that evening.

The reason behind Doctor Venkman's lack of joy came from the phone call that she received from her boyfriend, Jonathan Barrett, who told her that his flight from Florida to New York had been delayed for the night, due to a heavy snowstorm that was reported of coming in through the New York area. She expected to have a nice candlelight dinner at her favorite restaurant, Gusteau's; instead she was forced to stay inside the firehouse all night with her fellow co-workers until the snowstorm had passed.

Kimberly sat alone by her desk, her head rested upon one hand while the other was used for tapping a pen repeatedly on the surface of her desk. Not once did she feel isolated from her friends, who were working together in decorating the new Ecto-2K with Christmas lights and reefs. In the midst of working, Meagan glanced her way and took notice of how woeful she looked. An idea sparked within her imagination as she took off the Santa hat she wore while decorating and rushed over to Kimberly.

Needless to say, Doctor Venkman was taken by surprise when she felt the hat go over her red-haired head and heard Tully shout joyously to her, "Merry Christmas, Dr. Venkman!"

Venkman glared at the happy Junior Ghostbuster and pointed to her head. "Take this thing off me right now, or you're gonna be having it pumped from your stomach on Christmas morning!"

Nearby, Diana heard Kimberly's vicious demand and stopped working long enough to walk over to her and ask, "What humbug is in your butt, Venkman?"

"The one mailed in by the T.V. weatherman." Kimberly snapped. "This crazy snowstorm has completely ruined my Christmas, man. J.B.'s stuck in Tampa Bay and I'm stuck here with you commercialized freaks all night."

Spengler approached with a clipboard and _Droid_ phone in hand and informed, "The snowstorm won't last for very long, Kim. They're predicting that it will end around seven o'clock in the morning."

"So you'll have all of Christmas day to spend with Mister Barrett, Dr. Venkman." Meagan pointed out.

"Gusteau's will be closed on Christmas Day – what good will it be then when I can't even have a romantic dinner at the finest restaurant in Manhattan?"

From across the room, J.G. jokingly shouted by the roof of the Ecto-2K, "There's always _Burger King_, Venkman."

"Good idea, Jay. How 'bout I throw you a Whooper right now?" She held up her fist as she responded with her classic sarcasm; but Stantz didn't appear too intimidated by it.

"Chill out, will ya?" He told her. "I'm not with Alexis tonight, and you don't see _me_ going stir crazy."

"That's different – your idea of romance with her is stripping her half-naked and seeing how many pins you can stick in her skin before she feels one of them!"

"Hey, Spengs was there, too!"

Kimberly, Meagan, and Diana shot awkward glances toward Sean, who just lifted his full hands in protest and said, "Science is crazy sometimes."

Diana shook her head in disgust, turning her attention back to Kimberly. "Well, _that_ certainly had to take your mind off of J.B."

"It actually did," admitted Venkman, "but I'm still pretty pi…"

Before she could blurt out the rest of that obscenity, the phone sitting at the empty desk of Christina Melnitz began to ring. Stantz climbed down the ladder that he was standing atop of and rushed to the phone, picking up the receiver and speaking into it. "Season's Greetings from the Ghostbusters! How can we be of assistance?" J.G. listened to the voice on the other end, which sounded serene and almost harmonious for a male. He informed him of a haunting at a mansion in the Uptown area of Manhattan – 155th Street in Washington Heights, to be more precise. "Okay, thank you, sir. We'll be there as soon as possible."

As he hung up the phone, Kimberly slammed her hands down over her desk in frustration and yelled, "Oh, terrific! Now we have a bust on Christmas Eve to take care of! Jay, have you forgotten there's a snowstorm happening right now?"

"The snowstorm is very light right now. It won't pick up intensity for another couple of hours, Venkman." Spengler stated, after taking a quick glance at the forecast details on his smart-phone. "Plenty of time to drive by and handle the situation, before we get caught in the blizzard."

"Still, dress warmly." Stantz cautioned. "The heat from the Packs can only keep us thawed for a limited time."

"Great." Kimberly said in a dull tone. "Even if there was _actually_ a humbug in my butt, I'm sure an hour in the chilly winds would freeze it out." As she headed towards the Ecto-2K with the others, she threw Meagan's Santa hat off her head and down on the desk, where it sat alone and isolated – much like its last occupant. However, just as the Ghostbusters sped away in the Ecto-2K, the hat began to sparkle in red and green colors, as it disappeared like magic from the unoccupied desk.

**Jack Skellington:** Is it truly magic? Or a haunting in disguise? You shall find out in the next part of the story.


	2. Part Two

**Part Two**

**Jack Skellington:** Through the chilling winds of the night did the Ghostbusters trek, their holiday spirit the only thing keeping them warm. However, in the case of one Kimberly Venkman, trying to stay warm was hardest thing possible when your heart is as cold as the air. But, upon their arrival to 155th street, things would soon warm up very quickly.

The Ecto-2K pulled up right in between a foggy graveyard and a mansion that had a Dutch Gothic Revival style to it. With no streetlights to illuminate the foreboding atmosphere, the red and blue lights from atop of Ecto-2K were all that kept everything partially lit. That wouldn't be a problem much longer, as two flashlights switched on from the hands of J.G. Stantz and Diana Zeddemore, as well as one additional hint of lighting from the screen of Sean Spengler's P.K.E. Meter.

While exiting the company vehicle, Meagan Tully looked past the pair of ornate gates at the mansion. "A haunted mansion?! Why does that sound so familiar to me?"

"Don't know and don't care." Kimberly Venkman hastily remarked. "Let's just get this over with and go back to our normal, boring lives."

Hearing her talk that way, J.G. and Sean both shook their heads in disgust. They could remember many Christmases since they attended college together when Kimberly was ecstatic about the holidays, regardless of whomever she spent it with. It wasn't until she met Jonathan Barrett once that all changed; of course, even while they've been separated from each other since the "Gozer Incident," she enjoyed Christmas all the same. The point being, in general – love could make a person act quite irrationally, even on a special time like Christmas.

After their "fearless leader" made her demand, she approached the gates and gripped the left side, giving it a slight shake. The gate then opened, allowing the four Senior Ghostbusters and one Junior Ghostbuster to walk right into the mansion's well-tended gardens and courtyards. As soon as they had reached the front door, Venkman gave a brief knock against the hollow structure. A minute had passed and there was no answer.

Another knock and Kimberly then shouted through the door, "Hey, c'mon! You called the Ghostbusters and here we are! So open…"

Without warning, the door suddenly opened on its own, letting out a slow, daunting creak as it had done so. The unusual occurrence was enough to alarm the visitors to pull out their neutrona wands while entering the house with extreme caution.

They came amongst a small foyer, lit only by a few lanterns. Seeing the lanterns, Spengler got a little confused. "Anyone who uses lanterns for a light source must lack electricity."

Kimberly glanced over at him, confusion spread across her face. "Yeah, so what?"

"_So_ how was our caller able to contact us, without the proper electrical appliance to do so?" Spengler inquired.

"By a payphone? I don't know!" Venkman retorted.

Stantz was beginning to see the point in Spengler's indication. "Kim, there's not a payphone anywhere near this neighborhood. He would've had to walk twelve blocks to have called the firehouse."

"People do desperate stuff when they're being haunted, Jay." Kimberly boldly pointed out.

"I'd seriously doubt walking twelve blocks in an approaching snowstorm would be one of them, Venkman." Diana contradicted.

Refusing to bother with the assumptions of her colleagues, Venkman focused on the one person who seemed right in keeping her mouth shut. "Meagan, please tell me _your_ head is still in the game."

"O-Of course, Doctor Venkman." Meagan answered, while slightly adjusting her glasses.

"Good girl," she said, before adding without a second thought, "You lead us into the next room then."

Meagan nodded in acknowledgment, but then did a double take, as soon as she realized what her boss just requested for her to do. Kimberly glared into her blue eyes, signifying how serious she was in her demand, and the Junior Ghostbuster carried out the order with false enthusiasm. She led the group into the _dead center_ of an octagonal room filled with four portraits on every other wall – one was of a bearded man in the dress of minor nobility, another was of a demure young woman holding on a parasol, a third one of an old lady sitting, and the final one of a man with sideburns sitting as well.

"Nice room." Kimberly said as she noted the lack of doors in the room. "But, as far as I can tell, there's nothing and nobody here to help us." She then turned to Spengler and added, "Unless Sean's got something on the P.K.E."

The glare from the brightness of the P.K.E. screen flashed over Spengler's glasses while checking the information that he got from scanning every inch of the room. After a few seconds, he looked to Venkman and shook his head. "I've got nothing here, Kim."

She rolled her eyes in disgust and headed in the direction of the exit. "Let's get outta here. Man, do I hate these prank calls!" As she was making her complaint, she walked right into a section of the wall that she thought to have been the doorway leading out of the room. Bumping into it, she looked around the structure of the wall, perplexed and aggravated. "What the he…?! Where's the door?!"

The others glanced around as well, noticing in shock how there was not a single doorway leading out of the room. It was almost as if they were sealed in on purpose. And before any of them could wonder why, there came a high-pitched, maniacal laugh that echoed throughout the octagonal room.

"_Welcome, foolish mort…er, I mean, kind guests…to my haunted mansion!_"

The voice that accompanied the laughter seemed very recognizable to J.G.; it was the same voice as the person who called them to that very place. "Who are you? Why've you brought us here?"

"_You shall soon find out, Dr. Stantz…for this very night…you will be haunted by three adaptations!_"

"Three adaptations?" Diana repeated the confusing proclamation. "Of what?!"

As the echoing voice and the Ghostbusters were conversing, Meagan glanced at the portraits and noticed something remarkably strange about them and the walls they were hung upon – both were quietly stretching upwards, elongating the paintings on them to reveal more details of them. The bearded man in the dress of minor nobility was wearing red and white striped boxer shorts while standing on a keg of dynamite with a lit fuse. The demure young woman holding a parasol was calmly balancing on an unraveling tightrope above the hungry jaws of a waiting crocodile. The old lady was sitting atop a tall gravestone, which featured the bust of a man with an axe through his head. And the man with sideburns, who was also sitting, was doing so on a fat, mustached man who was sitting atop a lean, pale-looking gentleman who was chest-deep in quicksand.

"_You've noticed my paintings, Miss Tully?_"

Meagan jumped in surprise when she heard the voice address her, making her wonder how he knew she was even looking.

"_Your cadaverous pallor betrays an aura of foreboding, almost as though you sense a disquieting metamorphosis. Is this haunted room actually stretching? Or is it your imagination, hmm…?_"

As soon after the others noticed the stretching walls as well, Kimberly's aggravation increased, and she shouted to their hidden host, "Okay, enough of the games! We want out of here _now_!"

"_Oh, my dear Dr. Venkman. Your heart is so, so cold this evening. But you will learn by the dawn of Christmas Day how important it is to be in the spirit of the holidays._"

"The only thing I'm gonna learn is how hard I can kick your butt, as soon as I get my hands around your scrawny, little…"

_KURCRACK!_

The lights within the octagonal room went out, just as lightning and thunder filled the area. As flashes of light came over, Kimberly looked up and noticed a man hanging from a noose high above in the cupola. In all her years as a Ghostbuster, she had seen quite some frightening sights; but the sight of a man who recently committed suicide was beyond frightening to her. Taking a deep breath, she let out a long, high-pitched shriek.

It wasn't long before the lights within the room returned, and the tension rising over Kimberly Venkman's body began to cease somewhat. When she turned to where her colleagues stood, she was met with the horrifying revelation that they had all vanished without a trace. She was all alone in the "door-less" octagonal room, armed with nothing else than her Proton Pack.

At least, that was what she thought until she looked down and realized how she was no longer gripping onto her neutrona wand. She no longer felt the weight of the nuclear accelerator bearing down upon her back. All she had been left with was her uniform, sans the black gloves she wore to protect them from the heat of the neutrona wand and the chill of the wind outside.

She swallowed and began breathing very hard, with bullets of sweat starting to come down her forehead. Fear was soon mixed with panic as she realized there was nowhere for her to escape. But then she noticed a section of the wall sliding open mysteriously, letting in a blinding white light that was shining from the other side of it. Forced to shield her eyes from it, Kimberly glanced into the light to see where this doorway – different from the one she and her friends came through – led.

That was when she noticed a figure walking out from the white light and into the room. Once Kimberly's eyes adjusted to the light, she noticed that the figure was a rag doll-type of character with long red hair, big unusually-shaped eyes, a dress that was stitched together with multiple colored and designed fabrics, and a pair of black slippers. A smile was registered from her red lips, which seemed to extend through stitches lined across the opposite sides of her face. She was a messy and yet comforting sight to Kimberly; but that didn't stop her from questioning her presence.

"Who…Who are you?"

"Fear not, Kimberly Venkman. My name is Sally…but for the evening, I'm the Ghost of Christmas Past."

Venkman glanced at the living rag doll with a strange look. "You have got to be kidding me…"

**Jack Skellington:** Kimberly Venkman will soon discover that Sally is _far_ from kidding – as her journey to rediscovering her Christmas spirit is in full swing at this very moment. And what of the others, you ask? Keep focused on our story, and you will find out!


	3. Part Three

**Part Three**

**Jack Skellington:** Right at this moment, up is down and left is right to our ghost-busting heroes as something strange is undoubtedly happening in this neighborhood. But who can _they_ call? They are the only active Ghostbusters on this Christmas Eve. Fear not, dear readers! Because these spirits mean no harm…er…at least a few don't.

"Oh, man! Oh, man! Oh, man!" Meagan Tully repeatedly cried in panic, as she and Sean Spengler trekked down a dark hallway with only their flashlights guiding their way. Their Proton Packs were missing from their backs and Spengler's P.K.E. Meter had vanished without a trace as well – hence the reason for Meagan's panicking. "We're so doomed! We are _so_ doomed!"

Spengler seemed to have been keeping a leveled head during the entire time as he had a ponderous look masked upon his face while scanning the old walls of the hallway only with his eyes. "Not exactly, Tully. If we were actually doomed, whoever is behind this haunting would've put us in imminent danger at this point."

"Uh…okay." Meagan remarked, still sounding uncertain. "Then how come Miss Zeddemore, Doctor Stantz, and Doctor Venkman aren't with us?"

"It might be a test of some type. You and I have one, while Kimberly, Diana, and Jay have their own."

"Oh…I was never any good at tests."

Just as the two came across a closed door, a bright light shined through the crevices, overwhelming the light from Tully and Spengler's flashlights. Exchanging a curious glance, they shut off their flashlights and moved to the door, placing their ears against it to hear whatever was going on inside the room. They heard voices – one soft, young, and feminine and the other hard, elderly, and masculine – addressing one another.

"What business has brought you here?" The hard, elderly voice inquired.

"Your welfare." The soft, young voice remarked.

"Heh! A night's unbroken rest might aid my welfare."

"Your salvation, then."

Meagan pressed herself a little harder against the structure of the door to hear the voices. However, as she had done so, she felt herself almost becoming one with the door…literally! In fact, her whole body was going right through it unexpectedly. After a while, she realized what was happening and freaked out, tripping over herself in the process and falling completely through the door.

"DOCTOR SPENGLER!" She cried while falling through.

It wasn't very long before Sean took notice of what was happening and became beyond surprised. He heard Meagan's body land with a hard thud on the other side of the door she literally went through and knew that he had to make certain she was alright. Placing his hand against the door, he curiously figured that the same effect would happen to him; and he was less than surprised to discover that it did, once his hand went through the door's structure.

Passing through the door, he arrived on the other side to be welcomed by an intense white light. As soon as his eyes adjusted to it, he realized that he and Meagan were inside a bedroom that belonged to an elderly Englishman who was visited by a child-like specter. The scene seemed very familiar to Spengler, mostly because he read it several times in Charles Dickens's _A Christmas Carol_. And that was when he realized what the voice they heard earlier meant by the "three adaptations."

"Fascinating!" He exclaimed, not seeming to take the elderly Englishman or his ghostly visitor out of their conversation – neither of them even noticed Spengler or Tully in the room with them.

"It's fascinating that I might've broken my butt?" Meagan asked, while lying on the floor, seemingly in pain.

Helping her back up to her feet, Spengler reiterated his comment. "I'm fascinated by our current predicament. Apparently, we're being haunted by an adaptation of _A Christmas Carol_, just like our 'host' said we would tonight."

Tully looked closer into the scene and noticed two familiar figures standing outside on a tree branch near the window. She pointed and inquired, "Hey, isn't that Gonzo and Rizzo?"

Spengler followed her glance and saw the two Muppets standing there, observing the scene much like they were, even going as far as narrating everything that was happening to an unseen party. "It would appear that we're being 'haunted' by a Muppet adaptation of the story."

"They did one?" Meagan uttered with a chuckle. "I never noticed. How cute is that."

Sean Spengler's ponderous look returned as he continued watching the adaptation unfold before their eyes.

"I beg you, Spirit." Ebenezer Scrooge addressed the Ghost of Christmas Past while she opened the window to his bedroom. "I…I am mortal and liable to fall."

"A touch of my hand and you shall fly." The spirit instructed him, and with a minute of extreme hesitation, Scrooge touched the spirit's hand and began levitating off from his own bed.

Meanwhile, Spengler concluded on his thoughts by pondering out loud, "If we're experiencing one adaptation of the tale on our own, then which of them are Jay, Diana, and Kim experiencing?" Before he could ponder any further on it, the bright aura of the Ghost of Christmas Past grew more intense, blinding Sean and Meagan. Within seconds, neither they nor the other characters inside and outside the bedroom were there any longer.

**Jack Skellington:** It seems Dr. Spengler is on track of all that is happening within the confines of the mansion. But let's get back to the main focus of our story who is none other than Doctor Kimberly Venkman, shall we?

"I kid you not, Doctor Venkman." Sally responded to the Ghostbuster's disbelieving attitude. "I'm here to help you regain your Christmas spirit."

Venkman shook her head negatively. "You know, in some aspects, it's okay to hate the holidays, if you have good reason to. There's the commercialism, the poor economy, the…"

"Long ago, you never cared about any of that, Doctor Venkman. You were care-free and lively, much as you are every other day."

"Long ago, the economy wasn't in as poor of a shape as it is now! All folks ever cared about was if Bill Clinton would be forced to sleep on the couch after spending time with Monica."

Sally sighed in aggravation, while reaching into the left pocket of her dress and pulling out a small, red, cotton-twilled bag. "I guess I'll just have to do you just like all the others and _show_ you, Doctor Venkman."

"What do you mean 'show me'?" Kimberly asked, as she watched Sally reach into the bag and carry out a handful of glittering white powder. "And what the heck is tha…?" Without warning, Sally blew the powder into Kimberly's face, forcing her to inhale every hint of it.

Kimberly sneezed a few times from the strange substance that filled her lungs, and she wiped her eyes from the bits that covered the corners of them. As soon as all of it was out, she looked back to Sally, who was standing in a room completely different from the octagonal room they were in a moment ago. She recognized it instantly as the living room of her old home in Brooklyn on Christmas morning in 1984, complete with a Christmas tree and a decent number of presents beneath it.

"Oh, you little Raggedy Ann tramp!" Kimberly retorted. "You _had_ to go here with me!" Sally didn't respond to her frustration; instead, she just looked at her and smiled. "Well, ya know what? It ain't gonna work on this woman! I have every right to be angry on Christmas, and you…"

"YAY! SANTA CAME! SANTA CAME!"

The enthusiastic voice of a five-year-old girl suddenly caught her attention, as she turned her head to see a little redhead in pink pajamas and a Mickey Mouse doll carried in her right arm running down the stairs. She approached the Christmas tree and excitedly began opening one gift after another, not waiting for any other members of her family to come and join her.

"You have every right to be angry now, Doctor Venkman," said Sally, before gesturing to the five-year-old redhead, "but this little girl had every right to be happy on this day. Do you not recognize her?"

Kimberly scoffed. "Well, duh! It's me! I won't ever forget _this_ Christmas – it was the one that I spent all by myself. My folks had to work overtime, and they were too cheap to hire a babysitter and too modest to ask for any help from our relatives and neighbors."

"But you enjoyed it nonetheless, didn't you?" Sally indicated.

Venkman hesitated a little with her answer. "Well…yeah…but that's just because I was too young to realize the importance of having friends and family on Christmas. I mean, who just leaves a five-year-old all alone on Christmas? The absence of my parents left me feeling independent through my whole childhood! I never cared about anyone or anything – not until I met Jay and Sean in college."

"But even then you were too humbled to spend time with anyone on Christmas." Sally stated, just as she pointed to something behind Venkman.

When Kimberly turned to see what it was, she suddenly found herself in another room…in another time. She was looking at herself at the age of twenty, sitting in her dormitory and watching a VHS copy of _Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace_ on her brand new television set, a gift given to her by her busy parents. The 20-year-old Kimberly Venkman was certainly Goth material, with black hair and clothes, dark makeup, and a piercing near her right eyebrow.

"Good Lord! What in God's name was I thinking dressed up like that?!" Kimberly said in shock of seeing herself. "I looked worse than Winona Ryder and Avril Lavigne put together!"

"A result from your upbringing?" Sally deduced.

"Ya think?!" Kimberly sarcastically remarked.

She heard footsteps approach the open doorway and a 15-year-old J.G. Stantz walked in, carrying a huge smile on his face. "Oh, man! Kim, you're messing the party of the lifetime at Weaver Hall! Why don't you come over and join us, instead of sitting here in the dark?"

"Ah, you go on and have fun, kiddo. This is how I usually spend the holidays – all to myself, with no one around." The 20-year-old responded.

"Well, that's no fun." The 15-year-old Stantz said.

"You grow to love it, dude." Kimberly said with a smile.

Jay walked further into the room and glanced at the brand new television set that she was watching. "Wow! Is this the new Toshiba 60-inch?!"

"Yep," she said unenthusiastically. "My folks got it for me as a present."

"What is this you're watching?"

"The new _Star Wars_ movie that came out over the summer. Have you seen it yet?"

"Nope. I haven't seen _any_ of them."

Kimberly glanced at the youth in utter disbelief. "You're kiddin' me! Not even the originals?!"

"Nope."

The young Venkman scoffed and patted her hand down on the seat cushion next to her. "Well, if ya aren't too busy, have a seat and prepare yourself for quite a lesson in Jedi mythology, my friend. 'Cause I've got _Hope_, _Empire_, and _Return_ all on tape!"

Jay smiled and sat down next to the 20-year-old on the couch, while she got up and searched through her VHS collection for the three films she mentioned. Kimberly stood nearby and watched herself, feeling very nostalgic from observing such an enjoyable, relaxed Christmas evening event. Sally took notice of her delight and smiled, feeling her mission coming into completion.

"Even in your humility, you felt like sharing something you enjoyed with Doctor Stantz, and thus spent your first Christmas with a true friend." Sally stated, right before she spotted something wet streaming down the side of Kimberly's face. "Oh, my word. Is that…Is that a tear I see coming down from your eye, Doctor Venkman?"

Kimberly barely even felt it come down until Sally pointed it out. Quickly, she wiped it away, using the cloth of her sleeve. "You crazy, girl. That darn pixie dust you threw in my eyes must still be up in there."

Sally shook her head with a smile. "I see there is still much work to go on, Doctor Venkman. Hopefully the next visitor will have better luck than me."

"Next visitor?" Kimberly turned to her in confusion, but she didn't see Sally anywhere, as she was unexpectedly brought back into the octagonal room of the mansion. For a brief moment, all was quiet and calm; but then there came a loud _boom_ and a tremor that nearly knocked Kimberly off her feet.

A wall adjacent to the one in which Sally entered from slid open and a billow of dark grey smoke seeped out, along with a short man in a black suit with an incredibly tall hat, a living spider for a bowtie, and an orange ribbon pinned on his suit that read "Mayor." He was literally a two-faced figure, having one side that was all peach-skinned with a big, creepy grin and swirled eyes and the other being white in complexion with a huge frown and worried eyes – he was currently displaying the "happier face."

Coughing out some hints of smoke, he told Kimberly in a heavily enthusiastic voice, "Seasons Greetings! I am the Mayor of Halloweentown! But I would much prefer that you address me as 'The Ghost of Christmas Present'!"

Kimberly stared at the odd figure in wide-eyed disbelief. "Dear Lord."

**Jack Skellington:** If there is anyone who can get Kimberly Venkman out of her "humbug" attitude and bring peace back into her heart, then it can certainly be the Mayor. If not, then we can just bring in Doctor Finkelstein to take out her heart and put it into pieces! HEHEHEHE! *ahem* Sorry…my humor can be a little _dead_ in print.


	4. Part Four

**Part Four**

**Jack Skellington:** Adaptations are a wonderful thing! It is never the same tale told in the second or third time as it was in the first. The way I see them, adaptations are like parallel universes – a topic in which I can go hours and hours on with all of the doors to different holidays I have discovered. *chuckles* Listen to me. I'm boring you to death, aren't I? That's a worse fate than being _scared_ to it! Let us check in on Miss Zeddemore and Doctor Stantz, shall we?

For what felt like hours, Diana Zeddemore and J.G. Stantz were consumed by a marvelous white light that they shielded their eyes from the entire time. It seemed to have come out of nowhere while they were observing one of the adaptations their mysterious host warned them about. In it, Scrooge McDuck – playing the role of Ebenezer Scrooge – was being visited by "The Ghost of Christmas Past" in the form of Jiminy Cricket. It was a bizarre experience that got just as much so once Willie the Giant (someone whom the Ghostbusters had one too many previous confrontations with) appeared as "The Ghost of Christmas Present" and took Scrooge out of his own home.

From that point, Zeddemore and Stantz were overwhelmed by the intense white light, which began to fade shortly afterwards. As soon as they unshielded their eyes, they found themselves standing in the home of Bob Cratchit (a.k.a. Mickey Mouse) and his family. Outside by the front window were the faces of Scrooge and Willie, pressed up against the glass and observing all that was happening inside along with Diana and J.G.

"This is insanely intriguing!" Stantz exclaimed. "We're somehow being forced to watch adaptations of _A Christmas Carol_, like as if we were strapped to a chair and placed in front of a television set that was broadcasting a non-stop marathon."

"Maybe not _that_ intense, but I get where you're coming from." Diana remarked. "To be honest, it's really putting me into the spirit of the holidays, unlike a certain redhead we know."

The mentioning of Kimberly Venkman made J.G. think of her and their other cohorts, who had been missing from their sides since the start of the observation. "Yeah, but I wonder where she, Spengs, and Meagan are. And why are we the only two observing all of this?"

"Maybe it's the type of thing that requires pairs rather than groups." Diana deduced. "Observing all three adaptations in one night seems a little impossible in terms of time. Having us observe them simultaneously eliminates about six to eight hours of time, wouldn't ya say?"

Stantz was so perplexed by her impressive deduction skills that he was barely able to respond. "Uh…yeah…I believe so, too."

Seeing the dumbfounded look upon his face, Diana grinned and shrugged as she told him, "You kids never give this old girl enough credit, when it comes to using _this_." She pointed to her head and then added, "I'll be going for my degree in historiography pretty soon, and I'll no longer be the 'non-doctor' of the team."

Jay smiled proudly at her, just as they heard Mickey – or "Bob" – address his family, who all seated themselves at the dinner table. "Now, children…we must wait for Tiny Tim first."

There was a _clump_ sound that came over the nearby staircase, as Tiny Tim – who appeared in the form of a miniature version of Mickey Mouse – arrived in the room. "I'm coming, father. I'm coming." Watching his son arrive, Bob felt the immense desire to run right to him and lift him upon his shoulder, saving him the time and trouble of journeying the uncomfortable length from the stairs to the dinner table.

"It never fails just how cute Tiny Tim gets in these adaptations." Diana complimented with a smile that was accompanied by a feeling of warmth in her heart. "I don't know which adaptation Kim is observing, but I sure hope she sees something that'll help her change as much as Ebenezer Scrooge always does by the end of the story."

"I doubt it." J.G. contradicted. "Sometimes it can seem like Venkman's heart is made out of stone, depending on her view of something she disagrees with. I could barely get her to change her mind about which of the two _Star Wars_ trilogies are better. She says the classics are cooler, but I say…"

"Wait a minute! You two are fans of _Star Wars_?!" Diana reacted in sincere amazement.

"Yeah, why?"

She shook her head and chuckled as she softly said, "It's a small world after all."

Their focus on the topic was suddenly disturbed, just as another flash of white light appeared at the corners of their eyes. At first Stantz was marveled by its unexpected way of appearing in the room; but he was beginning to grow very annoyed by it. He voiced his disapproval of its current arrival by saying, "Oh, please! Give us a break, will ya?!" But it didn't seem to comply on his demand as it continued growing brighter and brighter until they were once again consumed by it, obscuring their view of everything that was happening in and out of Bob Cratchit's house.

**Jack Skellington:** Relax, my friends! You know we'll never let anything _deadly_ happen to our heroes. We are simply taking our focus away from the others for a while, in order to return to the "exclusive" adaptation that Kimberly Venkman is experiencing at the moment, as she will be taken into _her_ present by my dearest friend – The Mayor of Halloweentown!

"So thrilled to make your acquaintance, Doctor Venkman!" The Mayor happily exclaimed, shaking Kimberly's hand with much energy.

She was nearly chilled to the bone from how cold his hands felt clasped over her own skin. Of all the bizarre characters that she came in contact with in her years as a Ghostbuster, this one had to be the most off-the-wall. "So…you're here to show _me_ what's happening in my present?"

"I most certainly am!" He then gestured to the doorway that he crossed through and added, "Now if you'll just follow me past this door…"

"Oh, no, no, no!" Kimberly refused. "I've already seen enough adaptations to realize what you all are trying to do to me. I'm no Ebenezer Scrooge, okay? I'm just a simple woman who just doesn't feel like celebrating Christmas this year. Trust me – on any other Christmas, I would be ecstatic. But this is just not one of those."

The Mayor's head suddenly performed a "one-eighty," as it shifted from his "happy face" to his "saddened one" – a performance that gave Kimberly Venkman the creeps. "Oh, please, Doctor Venkman! I'm only trying to bring happiness back into your heart on this joyous holiday! I come from a place where everyone only knows how to make people feel the opposite of glad – this is _not_ an easy task for one such as myself!"

Venkman rolled her eyes in annoyance; she knew these ghosts wouldn't stop haunting her, as long as she was stuck in that mansion. So she let out a deep sigh and told the Mayor, "Fine! I'll play along, as long as you promise me _never_ to do that creepy thing with your head again!"

Shifting back to its positive side, the Mayor's head had done exactly what she demanded not for it to do as he happily inquired, "What creepy thing?"

The palm of Kimberly's hand gently slapped against her face in exasperation. "Oh, my goodness."

"Now follow me please," said the Mayor. "There's certainly a lot we must see and not enough time to spend chatting away!"

The jubilant Mayor and the reluctant Kimberly Venkman went into the smoking doorway and were consumed by an intense white light. Within seconds, they ended up inside of a janitor's closet, much to the confusion of Kimberly. "Man! I guess there's not a whole lot I'm missing in _my_ present, is there?"

Reaching for the doorknob, the Mayor opened the closet door and revealed to Kimberly that the two of them were at the Tampa Bay airport on Christmas morning. It was a sight that she was all too familiar with: crowds of people everywhere, waiting either in patience or aggravation for clearance to come on the flights that would take them to their respective homes on the holidays. None of it brought out any feelings of joy or comfort to Kimberly; it only simply reminded her why she hated the holidays so much.

"Oh, wow. Yeah, this is really putting me into the spirit, dude," she said in obvious sarcasm.

"Pay no attention to these poor desperate souls and focus on what's over there," said the Mayor, as he pointed to one particular terminal.

Kimberly followed his gaze and looked to the terminal where a familiar young man sat with a large group of children standing around him. Her eyes widened with excitement and pleasure as soon as she realized who the young man was. "Hey, that's J.B.!" She then jumped up and down, shouting to him, "Yo, baby! Over here! It's your girl, Kim!"

"He can't hear you, Doctor Venkman." The Mayor indicated. "We're simply voices from another time and place."

"The problem is that he's got his nose too deep in that sketch pad he always carries around." She scoffed at the sight of him engaged in illustrating something on it. "Look at him – it's Christmas morning and here he is, having nothing else better to do than draw."

"Look deeper, Doctor Venkman."

She looked at the Mayor in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Look at all of the children standing around him."

She looked back to the terminal and noticed exactly what the Mayor was pointing out. "Yeah, so?"

"You believe he's drawing because he's bored and missing you? Or because he's doing it for the children around him?"

Kimberly scoffed once again – this time over the Mayor's question. "Well, obviously because of me! I mean, that's what he normally does when he's bored. He draws illustrations of me and…" She stopped as soon as she noticed how her boyfriend detached a finished sketch from the pad and handed it to a little six-year-old boy who was standing closest to him.

The little boy showed gratitude for his gift and then ran to another terminal where he approached his parents and said, "Mommy! Daddy! Look-it what that cool guy over there drew for me!" He showed them an illustration of the superhero known as Superman, who was one of J.B.'s most favorite heroes.

Witnessing this, Kimberly couldn't help but to feel a little sheepish of her assumption, which proved to be horribly false. The Mayor chuckled as he told her, "You remind me quite a bit of a certain 'bonehead' whom I know!"

"Well, that's comforting to know…considering how much I feel like one, right now."

"Don't fret any. You still have a lot to learn before the evening is over. Come back to the closet with me and I'll show you more."

Venkman felt even more uncomfortable after hearing the Mayor's demand. "I'm gonna pretend like I didn't hear you say that." Regardless of the bizarreness in the way that the Mayor's demand was addressed, Kimberly acknowledged and followed him back into the janitor's closet where they were again consumed by an intense white light and vanished from the Tampa Bay airport.

**Jack Skellington:** Does he really call me "bonehead" when I'm not around? *clears throat* Uh, I mean…Yes! More for Kimberly Venkman to witness from the "Christmas Present!" But where will the Mayor take her to next? Find out in the fifth part of our story.


	5. Part Five

**Part Five**

**Jack Skellington:** Another door unlocked to Kimberly Venkman's present, as she and the Mayor of Halloweentown visit another person…or _persons_…related to our grief-stricken parapsychologist!

Venkman and the Mayor walked through the door to another closet – this one being full of wacky inventions and clothes suited for ten-year-old boys. While coming out, Kimberly vaguely recognized the orange-and-peach striped shirts and purple, ankle-high pants hung in there. It didn't take her much guessing to figure out that the Mayor had taken her to the home of Phineas Flynn and Ferb Fletcher. It appeared to have been nearing the evening time and the stepbrothers were enjoying their new gifts in their bedroom.

"Okay, now I'm confused," admitted Kimberly. "What do two of my Junior Ghostbusters have to do with _my_ Christmas?"

"You might not know it, Doctor Venkman, but you're a large influence to the youths you've hired for your program over the summer." The Mayor stated. "They look up to you greatly, like a natural-born leader."

Kimberly chuckled – her ego given a massive boost. "Really? Well, I always liked seeing myself as somewhat of a den mother to those kids."

The Mayor's head turned to his sad face as he asked her, "Then why did you ever feel the need to shut down the program?!"

She gawked at the bizarre figure puzzlingly and retorted, "I never did such a thing! I love these kids! Why would I…?"

An electronic jingle came over Phineas and Ferb's computer, which sat on a desk placed near their bedroom window. When Phineas saw the message displayed on the monitor, he alerted his stepbrother, "Look, Ferb! We've got mail!" Kimberly's face registered anxiety upon watching the two boys approach their computer and opening the email message. At first, a feeling of happiness and excitement overwhelmed Phineas as he read who it was from, "It's from Doctor Venkman! Probably wishing us a 'Merry Christmas'!" However, as he read over the message, happiness and excitement were soon replaced with disappointment and sorrow. "She's canceling the 'Junior Ghostbusters' program…and shutting down Ghostbusters?!"

Kimberly's heart sank deeply while listening to the email message that she had yet to send to any of her employees. She didn't doubt that she had written it – she had started on it the morning that Jonathan Barrett called to inform her that he wouldn't make it to New York by Christmas Eve night. But she couldn't bring herself to finish it because a part of her still cared about the company, as well as the people involved, and refused to ruin anyone's Christmas by sending the same letter that Phineas was reading.

Though what surprised her the most out of this foreshadowing moment was how maturely the 10-year-old boys were taking the news. "Well, it was fun while it lasted, but I'm certain Doctor Venkman has good reason in shutting down the company. I just hope she's having a great Christmas. The last thing I would imagine is how horrible of a one she'd have." And on this thought, Ferb nodded in a wholehearted agreement.

"Phineas! Ferb! Time for Christmas dinner, boys!" They heard their mother call out to them from downstairs.

"Come on, Ferb. Let's go eat. And _don't_ tell Candace about the email we got. I'm sure she's gotten the same one, and it's best that she freaks out on her _own_ time."

Venkman let out a depressed sigh, watching the two boys energetically walk out of their bedroom and close the door behind them, leaving only the light from the computer monitor illuminating the darkened room and still displaying her email message. "Oh, man. I didn't want to send that message. You've got to believe me, Mayor…I mean, Your Honor…Your Spiritedness…or, uh…WHATEVER!"

"But, why? Why would you even make such a letter?"

"Because I was upset! The man I love wasn't coming to see me on the most important day of all! I mean, it's not _that_ important…but…" She groaned and sighed again, her heart aching from every word she uttered. "God, I've never been this confused my whole life."

The Mayor shook his head in pity over her. "I'm sure if there was one soul who could help you see clearly, it'd be this one…"

He gestured to behind her, from where a bright orange hue of light shined. Turning around, she was bewildered to see a comfortable-looking bed that was different from the ones in Phineas and Ferb's bedroom. This one was made for a child much younger and smaller, just like the one lying in it. Approaching the left side of the bed, Kimberly instantly recognized the child as Boo, the three-year-old girl who she had the pleasure in meeting during her visit to Monstropolis on the previous summer. She smiled down upon her as she appeared to be fast asleep in her little bed.

"You are a hero in the eyes of many people, Doctor Venkman." The Mayor said from behind her. "If you let your hard work go to waste, then you'll be surely leaving many lives in vain."

Venkman clinched her fists, shut her eyes real tight, and shook her head – frustration overwhelming her other emotions. "Why me? Why am I always the one who…?"

She turned to face the Mayor again, but saw no one standing there when she opened her eyes. Turning back to Boo, she was met with the surprising revelation that neither she nor her bed was standing there any longer. The parapsychologist was standing all alone in the darkness, and it was beginning to freak her out a little.

"Hello…?" Her voice echoed into the darkness and no one answered. Again she shouted out, "Hello…?" And again her voice echoed with not a single whisper responding.

**Jack Skellington:** Er…Doctor Finkelstein? That's your cue!

"Is the evening over or what? I've learned my lesson! I promise that I'll keep Christmas in my heart every year and not ruin it for anyone – not even my friends!"

**Jack Skellington:** Doctor Finkelstein! Where are…?

_BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHA!_

"_The good doctor won't be joining us this evening! Instead, you'll be getting something MUCH better!_"

The deep, dark voice seemed to have come from all around Kimberly Venkman; as much as she tried to see the stranger it belonged to, all she saw was total darkness. That was until she saw a pair of green glowing eyes, along with a large green glowing mouth, stare right towards her. A chill went down her spine as she witnessed its surprising (yet frightening) appearance.

"LIGHTS PLEASE!"

A spotlight turned on and shined over a moving set of burlap sacks that were sewn into a shape resembling that of a sea star. It started advancing on Kimberly, who began backing away with fear. "My dear, dear Doctor Venkman! I've heard _so_ much about you! The GREAT Ghostbuster who snuffed out Hades, tamed Maleficent, and survived the horrors of the Seventh Circle!" The ominous figure blew a raspberry at her – his tongue being nothing more than a large, black-and-yellow striped worm. "Child's play compared to what _I'm_ gonna do to you!"

Regardless of how scared she was, Kimberly made sure to sound like her usual, overconfident self as she addressed the monster: "Is that so? Well, try me, Mister 'Ghost of Christmas Future,' who I'm assuming you to be."

"Ghost? Of 'Christmas Future,' you say?"

_BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHA!_

As the walking, talking burlap sack was bellowing with laughter, several floating, glowing green skulls swirled around, laughing along with him.

"You _must_ be joking, Doctor Venkman! I'm not here to put any 'Christmas Spirit' back into your heart! I'm here to scare the hum_bug_ outta your butt!"

Kimberly shook her head in annoyance, quickly forgetting how frightened she was supposed to have been. "Apparently 'figure of speech' is missing from your dictionary, because there is no actual bug in my…"

_BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHH!_

The anthropomorphic burlap sack towered over her, looking as if he had grown remarkably in mass and size, as he opened his mouth wide and close to her face, revealing the billions of bugs inside of him. A horrendous odor seeped out from his mouth and into her nostrils, having enough "stench power" to send her falling halfway into unconsciousness. Her legs became very wobbly, and as she backed away from the monster, she tripped over herself and fell.

When she hit the bottom, it was unknown whether she would land onto soft or hard ground; in the end, it turned out to be hard…_rock_ hard. She landed on what appeared to have been the middle of a street with lots of potholes and cracks. At first she didn't recognize it, but while she was getting to her feet, it dawned on her that she was standing on the same street corner where the Ghostbusters' Firehouse Headquarters was located. The only difference being that the firehouse was in total ruins, crumbled and missing sections of its structure, looking like it did when Louise Peck shut down the Containment Unit.

However, that wasn't all that looked different to her. As she continued to look around the area, all other buildings on the block and beyond were in the same condition – abandoned and in ruins. The only one that appeared to have been standing was an eighty-foot tall medieval complex with a rooftop structure that resembled a horned, demonic creature. Above it was a swirling red mist of energy that shot out into the sky, breaking through a portion of the dark gray clouds that plagued every inch of the skies – the same type of clouds that Kimberly had seen in the Seventh Circle.

"_BEHOLD, DOCTOR VENKMAN! THIS IS YOUR FUTURE!_"

Like before, she could not see where the monster was speaking from as his voice echoed all around her. But, eventually, his burlap-sack-of-a-face formed within the dark clouds, looking down upon her and grinning. "_ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS…ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE YOU 'INSPIRED'…ALL OF YOUR GHOSTBUSTERS…GONE!_"

_BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HA!_

Tears streamed down Kimberly's eyes as she realized that this future was happening, all because of her decision to shut down the company. The first person whose face popped into her mind, witnessing this horrifying image, was that of little Boo's. It was such a devastating notion of what became of her in this future that Venkman dropped to her knees and wept.

"I'm sorry. Oh, God. I didn't mean for it to come to this." She looked up to the monster in the clouds and begged, "Look! It's not too late! I know that I have a chance! Just please give it to me!"

"_YOU WANT A SHOT? THEN HERE…TAKE ONE!_"

Out of nowhere, there came a massive bolt of green lightning that struck out from the monster's "mouth" and headed towards Kimberly Venkman. Seeing it, she shut her eyes and covered her head, uncertain of how much it would hurt or kill her. When the flash from the contact came, she didn't feel anything at all.

**Jack Skellington:** Oh, dear! Oh, my! This was not how I planned for it to happen! Oogie Boogie was supposed to have _no_ part in this story whatsoever! And now he's done something to our dear Doctor Kimberly Venkman! If it's something bad, I swear that I will…*sighs*…we'll just have to see in the conclusion of our tale.


	6. Part Six

**Part Six**

"Doctor Venkman, are you alright?"

As soon as she heard the concerned voice of Meagan Tully speak out to her, she slowly opened her eyes and noticed that she was still kneeling down with their arms over her head in protection, only she was no longer in the "post-apocalyptic" future that she was shown. She was back in the octagonal room with Meagan and her other teammates. Seeing them there, she began touching her face and body and was relieved to discover that she was not harmed from the lightning that struck her.

"Wha…Wha…Was I dreaming?"

Diana grinned at her question. "Well, if you were, then we all must've had the same dream."

"That would be a negative, Kim." Spengler confirmed. "The paranormal experiences we had over the night were _very_ real, I assure you."

"Yeah, I fell on my butt during the whole thing, and it hurt like heck!" Meagan stated. "Wanna see the bruise?"

"NO!" The Ghostbusters hastily responded.

Realizing the topic was over before it began, Tully switched to another one that was more appropriate. "So…which adaptation did they make _you_ observe, Doctor Venkman?"

She looked at the Junior Ghostbuster in confusion and remarked, "What?"

"The spirits split us up into pairs and showed us two different adaptations of _A Christmas Carol_." J.G. told her. "One was done by the Muppets, and the other was from Mickey Mouse and his friends."

Kimberly shook her head in amusement and chuckled. "Oh, man. Those ghosts…those horridly wonderful ghosts!" The others exchanged perplexed glances, wondering what kind of adventure she had over the night. "I'm not sure what kind of _adaptation_ they showed me; but, dear lord, did they ever convince this stupid redhead of how foolish she's been over this holiday."

Stantz seemed highly impressed by this. "Must've been _some_ adaptation."

"It was, man," said Kimberly, as she got to her feet and put a hand on J.G.'s shoulder. "And it taught me of how thankful I should be just to have you all – my friends – with me here today. I know that J.B. is happy where he is right now and that everything will still be cool when he gets here. But, in the meantime, I'm planning on spending quality time with my most awesome friends in New York City!"

The others smiled at the sincere happiness expressed on her face. Regardless of whatever she witnessed from the ghosts in that "Haunted Mansion," one thing was for certain – Kimberly Venkman was back to her usual self again and just in time for Christmas. But, just to make certain how much in a good mood she was in, Meagan mustered the courage to ask her, "Does this mean you'll be giving out Christmas bonuses?"

Venkman glanced at her, the happy look that was registered on her face turning into a very serious glare. "Don't push it, kiddo."

**Jack Skellington:** Kimberly Venkman indeed returned to her old self again, if not more overconfident and self-assured than before. Of course, all five Ghostbusters left the mansion with feelings of joy and glad-tidings, especially on the discovery that the dreadful snowstorm that plagued the city overnight had ceased, allowing them to return to headquarters safely. Upon their arrival, Doctor Venkman deleted the letter she intended on sending, and instead she sent a new one – one that was more welcoming and pleasurable.

_Dear Junior Ghostbusters,_

_ I hope each and every one of you is having an awesome Christmas today. Before this morning came, I was not in much of the "holiday spirit" as most others presumably were. However, an "unforeseen event" occurred that convinced me how wise it would be just to ignore the petty stuff and see the true importance of this holiday. It isn't about how many people you spend it with, or choosing one particular person to share it with. It's all about keeping the spirit of Christmas in your heart and spreading the joy as much as you can._

_ That is why I would like to leave an open invitation to whoever would love to stop by our Firehouse Headquarters this evening and join Doctor Stantz, Doctor Spengler, Miss Zeddemore, Miss Tully, and myself in our first annual Christmas party. You are welcome to bring any family or friends that you have or know, and they are welcome to bring any food they cooked for the day (this idea, of course, was suggested by Diana Zeddemore herself). I hope that some of you will accept my offer; and if you must decline, I will truthfully understand._

_Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!_

_Sincerely,_

_Doctor Kimberly Nicole Venkman_

**Jack Skellington:** And so the letter was sent to all of the Junior Ghostbusters who were enrolled in the program, from Phineas and Ferb to Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. The Ghostbusters patiently waited for arrivals; and while they were doing so, Kimberly Venkman took it upon herself to make a quick journey into Monstropolis where she arranged a "special meeting" with the recently elected Chairman and CEO of _Monsters, Inc._, James P. Sullivan.

Boo was still sleeping in her bed on Christmas morning, her excitement and a few visits by Sulley keeping her up most of the night, when her closet door opened and Sulley himself stepped in. Of course, the large, furry blue monster wasn't alone in his visit, as he was accompanied by Kimberly Venkman, wearing a Santa hat and carrying a huge present that had been wrapped in white and red colors. The two were extra careful in walking through Boo's bedroom, considering that her parents might've still been awake at the time.

While Sulley remained by the door, Kimberly tiptoed to the left side of Boo's bed and set her present down on the floor, so that when she woke up, she'll find it sitting there for her. Before walking away, Kimberly leaned over the three-year-old girl's bed and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. "Merry Christmas, sweetie," she said as she quietly went back to Sulley and the doorway leading back to Monstropolis.

However, just as the two were about to leave, a small voice called out, "Kitty!"

Sulley and Venkman turned to see Boo excitedly climbing out of bed, completely ignoring her present from Kimberly, and running up to give her monster friend a big hug. While hugging Boo, Sulley looked to Kimberly and noticed how she was shaking her head and smirking. "Don't hate…it's Christmas," said the large, furry blue monster.

**Jack Skellington:** Don't worry. Boo eventually opened her present from Doctor Venkman, and she watched the little girl's face light up with excitement when she saw what she got. "What did she get?" you ask. Well…I'll leave it up to the imagination. But, in the meanwhile, more and more invited guests arrived at the firehouse to join in the celebration that the Ghostbusters set up. And by the evening of Christmas Day, every Junior Ghostbuster with his or her family and friends showed up with food and other goodies for the party.

Kimberly could not have been more delighted in seeing the joy that was being spread throughout the firehouse. Alex Russo and her family arrived from Waverly Place to sing karaoke; Goofy and Max Goof were showing off amazing dance moves to their girlfriends, Sylvia Marpole and Roxanne; and Zack and Cody Martin were engaged in playing on the _Playstation 3_ with Phineas and Ferb with a few friends watching. It was certainly a remarkable display of peace and joy, at least in terms of the Ghostbusters.

Diana, J.G., and Sean came to Kimberly's side, and it was Diana who voiced her delight in saying, "I gotta hand it to ya, Kim. You certainly know how to throw a party on Christmas, when there's not a humbug in your butt."

"It just feels good to have it out…and I'm speaking figuratively, of course."

Stantz chuckled and nodded. "I'm just sorry J.B. couldn't have been here tonight with us."

Kimberly waved it off with a relaxed smile. "Ohh, it's no big deal. I just hope he makes it back home in one piece. Those airports can be…"

Before she could finish her statement, her cell phone went off, playing a ringtone that was a jingle of the company song. She answered it and spoke to the caller for a short while. And after just a couple of exchanges, she was thrilled in discovering that the caller was Jonathan Barrett, who alerted Kimberly that he was calling from right outside the firehouse. Without saying a word to her colleagues, she ran right through the large crowd of guests and headed outside where she embraced her boyfriend with a hug and a large kiss on the lips.

J.G., Diana, and Sean went to the front entrance and peeked through the doorway, seeing the two lovebirds embrace while a gentle snowfall came down around them. "Well, would you look at that?" Diana said with a smile. "The girl got the only present she could want this season."

Sean Spengler's eyes shifted from Kimberly and her boyfriend to something that appeared to have flying through the night sky. When it came across the moon, his eyes widened in shock, and he told Zeddemore and Stantz, "Look! Up there!"

They followed his gaze just in time to see what appeared to have been a sleigh…no, a _coffin_…being pulled by eight _skeletal_ reindeers with a ghostly dog of some sort in the lead, having a nose that lit up so bright that shined most of the night sky. But the weirdest part to J.G. Stantz, Diana Zeddemore, and Sean Spengler was how _skinny_ Santa, who they could only presume it to have been running the coffin/sleigh, looked to be. In fact, he was practically in _skeletal_ form just as much as his reindeers.

"Should we be concerned by this?" Diana inquired.

"Uh…" was the only answer Sean could've given.

"Nope…nope. L-Let's just…leave it alone…for now." J.G. nervously suggested.

The three Ghostbusters took an agreement on the matter and returned to the party, pretending as if they hadn't seen a thing.

**Jack Skellington:** But, of course, they _did_ see it! For when one is in the work of a Ghostbuster, seeing is believing! And now, I wish every one of you a very Merry Christmas! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL…AND TO ALL, A GOOD FRIGHT…er, I mean, night! HEHEHEHEHEHE!

**THE END**


End file.
